Gwadar becomes key trade gateway

Bangladeshi vessel unloads steel billets destined for the UAE.—Courtesy GPA GWADAR: Comm­ercial operations at Gwadar Port continue uninterrupted despite the prevailing regional maritime tensions, with another transhipment vessel arriving at the port to handle cargo, underscoring growing international confidence in Pakistan’s deep-sea port. According to official details, the Bangladesh-flagged vessel M/V Jahan Brothers II berthed at Gwadar Port on Saturday after sailing from Singapore. The ship is carrying 53,064.660 tonnes of prime steel billets, which are ultimately destined for Al Hamriyah Port in the United Arab Emirates. The cargo will be temporarily unloaded and stored at Gwadar Port before being reloaded onto another vessel for onward shipment to the UAE as part of a transhipment operation. Gwadar Port Author­ity Chairman Noor-ul-Haq Baloch said the continuation of port and commercial activities despite regional challenges demonstrates that Gwadar is establishing itself as a safe, reliable and efficient regional trade hub. He noted that Gwadar Port is reinforcing its importance as an alternative trade route for regional commerce. Published in Dawn, July 19th, 2026